The Upcycle Consumer Blog

Mad Men and Philosophy

2010-07-21T22:17:00.000-04:00

While we're waiting for The Fashion File: Advice, Tips, and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men to be released, we were looking for something deeper (but still Mad Men related) that might tide us over. Lucky for us Mad Men and Philosophy: Nothing Is as It Seems has already been released. The book features Upcycle Consumer Philosophy Hall of Famers Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, and Ayn Rand, among others, as they bring an accessible but still enlightening approach to philosophy by drawing comparisons and lessons from our favorite TV show.

Adidas Net 80 Table Tennis Shoes

2010-07-19T19:19:00.000-04:00

Thanks for all of the great feedback on the Chalk Ping Pong Table we highlighted yesterday. We figured for the more serious ping pong fans out there you'd probably want to pick up some good gear to give you that edge in your next marathon session. Lucky for us the good folks at Adidas have designed just such a shoe: the Adidas Net 80 Table Tennis Shoes. Originally released in 1980, the newly refreshed footwear provides an ultra-light shoe with a strong grip, and now includes a good blend of suede and mesh. Style and performance: sounds very upcycle to us.

Mel Gibson Rant-Related T-Shirts

2010-07-18T23:10:00.000-04:00

It's been a tough run for Mel Gibson over the last few months. Some may say it's "too soon" to mock the man given the circumstances. To that we say that mocking is acceptable as long as it's only in t-shirt form. Since our favorite show Mad Men is coming back with new episodes soon, this Mad Men themed shirt was clearly our favorite. But the shirt sporting our favorite quote from the most recent rant was a close second. And finally of course there are the select few that will want to make a reference to knocking out some teeth, and well, to that we just say shame on you and don't forget to pick up a shirt for us too...

Map of the Island from Lost

2010-07-18T22:49:00.000-04:00

Despite our general disapproval of the finale, Lost remains one of our all-time favorite island-related ABC shows starring Matthew Fox and the delicious Evangeline Lilly. One of our biggest gripes about the show (other than the last episode -- don't get us started on that one) was how hard it was trying to track the crew's whereabouts in relation to the major landmarks on the island. Now with the poster-sized Map of the island from Lost, we finally have a coherent picture of where the various Dharma Initiative labs are located relative to the Others' village. Now if we only knew what to make of that smoke monster then I guess we'd be in business...

Chalk Ping Pong Table by Puma

2010-07-18T22:40:00.000-04:00

It's high time you gave something back to your bros. After a continuous barrage of being iced in the office, they're ready for a break. Well we think now is the time to pick up a Chalk Ping Pong Table by Puma. In addition to supporting the greatest lazy-man sport ever invented, you're also getting a beautifully designed table that you can ruin with horribly inappropriate comments and drawings (or diagrams?) that, thankfully, can be wiped off since it's just chalk. Each table is made by hand and also comes with a steel chain-link net that will fit in well with any respectable man-cave.

Terrafugia Carplane

2010-07-12T21:40:00.000-04:00

While we are on the theme of ridiculous/awesome forms of transportation, we present The Terrafugia Carplane. The Terrafugia can fly over 460 miles at speeds of up to 115 mph, and if the weather gets bad you can always land that bad boy and drive it as a street-legal front wheel drive car that gets 30 miles per gallon. We're just trying to picture a two car garage that featured a Terrafugia and a Tron Light Cycle. Ok, now THAT is upcycle.

Tron Light Cycle

2010-07-11T23:03:00.000-04:00

The Tron Light Cycle is perhaps one of the coolest vehicles we can think of (behind maybe the Batmobile and the Petercopter from Family Guy). Thanks to Parker Brothers Choppers of Melbourne, FL, it's finally going to be possible to live out our dream of driving as the blue leader from Tron. For only $35k we call this a steal. So we're thinking our next move should be to call up Seth MacFarlane and get the Petercopter idea off the ground. Hopefully the real thing will fly better than the cartoon version.

Beats by Dr. Dre Hi-Def Headphones

2010-07-10T15:30:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just don't want to hear what the guy sitting next to you on the subway has to say. Other times, you're loud neighbor really gets on your nerves when he interrupts your train of thought when you're in the lab with a pen and a pad trying to get your label off. Well we're thinking it's time to call the doctor -- the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones are your noise-cancelling, over-ear solution. With advanced speaker design, powered amplification, and powered noise cancellation, the doctor will let you hear his beats they way he intended. And he didn't go through four years of gangsta medical college for nothing.

Weber Smokey Mountain 18.5-Inch Smoker

2010-07-10T13:08:00.000-04:00

Our continued love affair with smoked brisket reached new heights recently when we attained bbq nirvana at a Fourth of July cookout. The key? Getting the proper smoker. It's not for amateurs; smoking is an artform and takes a surprising amount of work and diligence. However, we think the satisfaction of reaching master-grill-master status by properly smoking a chicken or brisket is an umatched feeling. Of course step one is getting the right equipment: the 18.5-Inch Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker is head and shoulders above all of the other smokers we've worked with in the past. Drop us a line if you're smoking some brisket this weekend -- we may just have to stop by for a bite.

Ray Ban Carbon Fiber Collection

2010-07-10T12:52:00.000-04:00

The biggest gripe that we have with our sunglasses is that they are too heavy. Maybe we have tiny ears, maybe we're overly concerned about whether the glasses would remain intact after being run over by a steamroller. But ear inadequacies and steam roller phobias aside, we were blown away by the Ray-Ban Carbon Fiber Collection, which was just released and comes in both aviator and no-frame rectangular styles. The carbon fiber material is just as strong as steel (steam roller protection: check) but is MUCH lighter (malformed ear relief: check). In keeping with our always-be-prepared mentality, we're going with the av's -- cuz you just never know when you will be called upon to pilot a plane in a pinch.

Ian Macleod Six Isles Limited Edition Pomerol Finish Scotch Whiskey

2010-07-10T12:34:00.000-04:00

Our favorite independent bottler and distiller from across the pond Ian Macleod Distillers, which has been family-run since its establishment in 1933, has launched a new Limited Edition Pomerol Finish of its blended malt scotch Six Isles. Reviews have been strong and describe the scotch as having a smoky and spicy taste with a hint of fruit undertones. A sophisticated drink, which should be a nice change of pace for us given the amount of bud heavies we've been crushing over the past couple of weeks.

Apple iPhone 4 Diamond Edition

2010-07-10T12:12:00.000-04:00

Well it only took us a couple of weeks to cave in. Despite our long track record of eschewing AT&T for its big brother Verizon, the iPhone 4 Diamond Edition is just too sweet for us to resist. Nothing says Upcycle like a diamond studded smartphone. Bling bling baby.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Volcano Watch

2010-07-10T12:04:00.001-04:00

While everyone in the sports world has been caught up in the LeBron James announcement earlier this week, we were much more interested in the smokin' watch he was rocking during his hour-long ESPN event. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Volcano has just been released to the public and all we can say is damn that looks good. The distinctive orange trim really gives this watch its own unique personality. Plus it's the color of basketballs. Maybe that's why LBJ picked it out? Hmm....

LeBron James Miami Heat Jersey

2010-07-10T11:54:00.000-04:00

It certainly feels like we're in the majority here: we're not happy with LeBron James. The whole spectacle was a joke and we feel for the fans and the city of Cleveland. That said, we're also fans of good basketball, so for those bandwagon fans out there why not jump on the train as early as possible with King James' new Heat jersey. Just make sure not to wear it if you find yourself in Ohio.

Sony Cyber-shot TX9 Digital Camera

2010-07-08T22:26:00.000-04:00

Ever since Avatar came out, we've been waiting for someone to release a camera so that we could shoot our own 3D movie. Sony comes to the rescue again with the Cyber-shot TX9, a $399 12.2 megapixel digital camera that can film in full HD quality as well as take panoramic 3D pictures. This is going to add a whole new dimension to our facebook page (ok again, terrible pun, but we couldn't resist).

Ecco Golf Street Premier Golf Shoes

2010-07-07T22:38:00.000-04:00

Fred Couples, who has been a constant fan favorite at The Upcycle Consumer Blog, has been rocking some very stylish new kicks on the links recently. The new Golf Street Premiers from Ecco look deceptively similar to regular street shoes and really remind us a lot of Freddie's casual, easy-going demeanor. And with pre-molded traction bars made from polyurethane, Mr. Couples was able to play a full 18 at Augusta without wearing socks! Talk about the life of leisure.

TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Pendulum Wrist Watch

2010-07-06T19:56:00.001-04:00

Since the creation of the Galileo-inspired hairspring coil in the 17th century, wrist watches have slowly evolved over time to overcome the myriad engineering challenges that are posed by this rudimentary energy regulation system. On TAG Heuer's 150th anniversary, the innovative Swiss company overturns centuries of wrist watch wisdom with the new TAG Heuer Grand Carrera Pendulum, which utilizes four magnets to create what their scientists call a "harmonic oscillator" (yeah we had to wikipedia that one). The new technique produces a fully mechanical constant magnetic field that balances and regulates the timing of the watch. Bottom line, TAG's latest creation provides a sleek new watch with higher precision with better performance. Despite all of the fancy technology, we still think the best feature is its striking design...

Moixa USBCell Rechargeable Batteries

2010-07-05T20:44:00.001-04:00

Few things upset us more in the digital age than losing power. But we're hoping this is a thing of the past with Moixa USBCell Batteries. We're putting this at the top of the list here at Upcycle Consumer Blog -- AA batteries that you can pop the top off and plug directly into any available USB port for a quick recharge. Save money, save the environment... what's not to like?

Tesla Roadster 2.5

2010-07-05T19:07:00.001-04:00

The buzz continues for Tesla Motors, as the innovative California-based electric sports car company wraps up a successful IPO after announcing the all new Roadster 2.5. The latest model sports a sleek new look, touch-screen display, improved sound reduction technology, and of course the same 290 horsepower engine that will take you from zero to 60 in less than 4 seconds. This electric car can go 245 miles without a recharge. Shocked yet? (I know, terrible pun)...

Grill Daddy Grill Cleaner

2010-07-04T21:20:00.002-04:00

Ok, so you've got your cooler couch, you're staying cool with your bladeless fan, so all that is left is to make sure the grill stays clean. That's where the
Grill Daddy comes in. The Grill Daddy Grill Cleaner is a steam-powered grill cleaning brush that melts away all the gunk and leaves your grill clean and ready for some serious barbecue action. And as we all know, Upcycle Consumer Blog is always looking for more efficient ways to not lose weight.

Solstice Cooler Couch

2010-07-03T09:42:00.001-04:00

The Solstice Cooler Couch is quite possibly the greatest invention a lazy man could ask for this summer. In essence, the brilliant engineers at Solstice took the idea of a floating bed and combined that with an ice cold cooler in which copious amounts of beer can be stored. So we're really just talking about lounging around at the pool with a fully stocked bar at your disposal. Brings a tear to the eye just thinking about it...

Dyson Air Multiplier

2010-07-03T03:46:00.004-04:00

Let's say that you are multimillionaire inventor James Dyson, and you just finished completely revolutionizing how vacuum cleaners are made. What do you take on next? Desk fans of course! Our boys at the Dyson labs have just released the Dyson Air Multiplier, which is a fan without blades (seriously). The Air Multiplier silently produces a cool flow of 405 liters of air per second, and with no blades the air is blown continuously with no buffeting. It's a little on the pricey side, but would make for one great office gift. And hey, never having to worry about accidentially chopping off a finger is a pretty big deal too, right?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2010-07-03T02:30:00.001-04:00

The award-winning crime novel by Stieg Larsson which became a post-humous best seller in Europe, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a must for your summer reading list this year. We here at The Upcycle Consumer Blog plan on tackling the next two books in the Millennium Trilogy just as soon as we're done with this one (The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest both follow in the series).

Marshmallow Shooter

2010-07-03T00:15:00.001-04:00

If I had a nickel for every time I needed a Marshmallow Shooter to get myself out of a jam... well ok it has never really come up before... but let's just say that if it DID ever come up that needed to shoot marshmallows out of a nerf gun, you'd be pretty happy that you were prepared. The shooter holds up to 20 marshmallows and fires them over 30 feet. Did someone say long range s'more contest? This may have to make its way into the next Upcycle Consumer Blog company picnic.

Sony Bravia 3D HDTV

2010-07-03T00:08:00.001-04:00

Ever since the days of red and blue goggles we've been waiting for TV to be broadcasted in 3D. Well with the World Cup finals rapidly approaching, we think it's finally time to get in the game with the Sony Bravia 3D HTDV. In addition to coming with two pair of sweet looking 3D glasses, the package also includes solid edge LED backlighting, full 1080p HD resolution, and of course the ubiquitous 802.11n Wi-Fi. Only one word comes to mind: Gooooaaal!!!!